Overprotective
by Indigo-Typhoon
Summary: Followup to thirteen. Just something I wrote because I felt like I still had Advancechampionshipping in my system. Basically a short scene between Brendan and Steven. Steven POV.


Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, any related characters, the name Advancechampionshipping or even a first aid kit.

"If you keep on scowling like that then people are gonna mistake you for an _old man_." Chirped Brendan Birch, cheerfully as he swung lightly on the thick branch that was supporting his weight. His Swampert glanced up at him a little reproachfully, knowing what I was getting at. I just glared at him. He knew full well why I was scowling and was refusing to regard it as a serious matter.

"At least _old men_ are more responsible than _little boys_." I retorted when he laughed at my expression.

"You take things too heavily. You should _relax_ for once." He told me, swinging more wildly. With an exasperated growl I turned on my heel and stalked off in the opposite direction, needing to calm down or I'd blow up at him.

"Hey Steven wait!" He yelped as I stormed away, ignoring him in my fury.

...

For about five seconds until I heard him cry out in fear, and spun around just in time to see him hit the ground with a crash that left me frozen in horror, before I sprinted the few metres I'd crossed, back to his side.

"Brendan! Are you all right? I _told_ you not to climb up that tree, it hasn't got proper support!" I gently lifted him from the ground, struggling not to shake with anxiety while Swampert rushed off, seeming to have some kind of errand in mind.

"I'm fine! Why do you _always_ treat me like I'm a kid! What do I have to do to prove that I'm not? I proved I can beat you! I'm even getting close to the battle frontier! My Hoenndex is complete, now Dad's given me one with data for everywhere. _He _appreciates that I'm growing up. _Scott_ appreciates that I'm growing up, 'cos he invited me to the Battle Frontier. _May _appreciates that I'm growing up because she's the one who told me she thought I was ready to face you. Why is it that even though _yours_ is the opinion that matters the most you won't accept that!"

He finished his tirade with an unusually strong shove to my chest, knocking me away from him. I fell back, startled. He glared at me defiantly, while I stared at him, stoically, thinking things through.

"What do you mean 'I treat you like a kid'?" I asked, unsure of what he meant. The flash of pure frustration and indignation in his eyes reminded me of the time three months ago, when I was unwilling to get close to him because of his age and he lost his temper because of it.

"Well..." He hissed, eyes narrowed to slits, shaking slightly from the strength of his fury, "We could start with how you're _always_ telling me what to do or not do. '_Don't_ climb that tree, _stay_ away from the edge, you _shouldn't_ talk to strangers, shouldn't you be going to _bed_ now'!" It was with great difficulty that I restrained myself from bursting out laughing at the last one; his indignant outrage was so intense.

However, there was no denying he had a point. I _did_ say these things to him, and now I heard them from someone else they _did_ sound reserved for young children.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I have been treating you like a child, in far too many ways, but there is a reason." I concluded, waiting for his response to gauge whether or not he was calm enough to discuss it.

"What's that?" He asked sharply, unwilling to relax from his defiant pose, arms crossed, feet planted firmly, using the fact I was still sat on the ground to draw himself up to his full height in an attempt to tower over me.

"I'm scared." I told him simply, surprised at how naturally it came to admit something which I'd always regarded as pathetic to him.

"But... you aren't scared of _anything_. Not even really scary stuff." He said curiosly, sitting down next to me and offering no resistance when I immediately reached across to put him on my lap.

"I'm scared of you being hurt. I'm scared of you getting lost. I'm scared of you dying. I'm scared of you hating me. I'm scared of your parents refusing to allow me to see you; due to my age, or my gender or whatever it is they disapprove of." He thought about this for a long time, absently chewing his nails. I resisted the urge to pull his hand away from his mouth, feeling like this would infuriate him all over again.

"Are you trying to tell me..." Uh-oh... I knew what that sudden drop in the pitch of his voice meant; I leaned back slightly to protect myself from the impending roar.

"THAT ALL THIS TIME YOU WERE JUST OVER-PROTECTIVE!?!" At this point he tried to leap up, except he was still on my lap. As such the result was that _he _fell backwards, landing on his back on the ground and knocked _me_ straight into the tree he had recently vacated. This, however, made no impression on me because I was too busy panicking about whether he was all right.

"Are you ok? Did you hit your head?" He sat up slowly, staring at me incredulously.

"Are you for real? You got a well harder whack than I did, you're actually _bleeding_ but you ask if I'm all right? Wait... You're bleeding! You have to do something to stop it, you're bleeding" I watched him rush over to his bag and search through it frenetically. Then I laughed, long and loud, only slightly aware of the throbbing at the side of my head that erupted when I did so.

At this point Swampert rushed back with a first aid kit held firmly in his mouth, causing an epidemic of confusion, Brendan was confused because he hadn't seen Swampert leave, Swampert, naturally, didn't tell me why he was confused, but I'm guessing it was related to the fact that when he left Brendan needed first aid and when he returned I did. I seemed to be the only one concerned about how and where a Pokémon with no money could obtain a first aid kit.

For a while, we sat underneath that tree, Brendan inexpertly attempting first aid on my head. (He meant well, but it was a disaster. He told Swampert to clean the cut on the side of my head. Swampert used Hydro Pump to do so.) We talked things over, both pushing at each other's boundaries until we found a comfortable middle ground.

Afterwards, when we'd reached Lilycove City Pokémon Centre, I couldn't resist having the last word.

"Our argument today was a little unfair."

"Huh?" He looked at me quizzically as I strode across the room, bent down and kissed him lightly.

"You forgot to mention that I wouldn't dream of doing this if someone really was no more than a child." He raised his eyebrows as I smirked triumphantly.

"Whatever, winning an argument like that, Steven, you're so childish" And he reached up to press his lips against mine before I could protest.

A/N: Dammit Frosty, I never wanted to start writing Advancechampionshipping, now I'm on my second fic. Hmm... Not as good in my opinion but please tell me what you think.


End file.
